Most snowboard binding systems being sold today use a circular disk to fasten the binding to the snowboard. The disk generally provides a pattern of slots for receipt of three or four bolts or screws which allows some adjustment of the position of the disk with respect to the longitudinal center line of the snowboard. When the disk is secured to the snowboard using screws it captures the binding and prevents it from moving in any manner with respect to the snowboard.
The binding itself may use straps to secure the rider's boot or it may be a step in type which automatically secures the boot when the rider steps into the binding. In either case the binding has a central hole through which at least a portion of the disk extends. In some cases the disk and the binding have tooth like profiles to mechanically engage the disk and binding so as to prevent the binding from turning with respect to the disk, and hence the snowboard, once the mounting screws are fastened. Other systems rely on a friction member between the disk and the binding, or simply the relative coefficient of friction of the disk and binding, which as a consequence of the axial force provided by the mounting screws prevents relative rotation of the binding and disk when the mounting screws are secured.
As will be apparent from the specific descriptions of prior art which follow, all of the currently known or utilized systems have at least one of the following inherent disadvantages: complexity, including many parts and therefore bulky or heavy mountings, undue production expense and/or lack of reliability; or inability to be easily reoriented without tools or with the rider's boot secured to the binding; or an undesirably large vertical offset between the bottom of the boot and the top of the snowboard; or failure to allow for small adjustments of the location of the rotation center of the binding with respect to the central axis of the snowboard; or allowance of only a finite number of discrete orientations of the binding with respect to the snowboard; or requirement for special hole patterns in the snowboard in addition to, or instead of, the industry standard patterns used for securing disks to snowboards; or no adjustability to allow rotational slip when a prescribed torque is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,883 teaches a device which allows adjustment of the orientation of the binding with respect to the snowboard central axis. It is, however, limited to discrete angular positions and requires a mating circular pattern of holes in the snowboard. This mating hole pattern is undesirable because it is expensive, weakens the snowboard and most importantly does not allow for any adjustment to the location of the pivot axis with respect to the snowboard central axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,689 teaches the hold down plate with at least three holes extending in a common direction, a base plate forming a part of a binding for receiving the boot of a user and having an aperture for receiving the hold down plate in at least two rotational orientations, and a means defining a pattern of second holes in a snowboard formed such that first holes are aligned with a like number of second holes when the hold-down plate is placed over the snowboard for permitting the hold down plate to assume at least two spaced apart positions along the snowboard, each corresponding to a different rotational orientation of the hold down plate.
This patent teaches the means to orient the hold down plate in at least two different orientations with respect to the snowboard central axis. This capability is afforded by the unique pattern of holes in the snowboard and in the hold down plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,216 teaches a hold down disk which allows a continuous selection of orientation angles of the binding with respect to the central snowboard axis. The means by which the rotation of the base plate with respect to the hold down plate is arrested involves a friction lining in combination with the axial force of the fasteners which has a direction generally normal to the surface of the snowboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088 teaches another device which allows a finite number of discrete angular orientations of the boot with respect to the snowboard. An inherent consequence of this device is that the boot is substantially raised above the surface of the snowboard. This device does not require a plurality of holes in the snowboard itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,068 teaches a device for pivotally mounting a snowboard binding on a snowboard with a quick action handle and including a series of flexible bushings to absorb vibration and to flex when the user shifts his or her body weight. This system is complex and expensive, raises the users boot significantly above the surface of the snowboard due to the use of an adapter plate, and does not allow for small adjustments in the position of the rotation center with respect to the snowboard central axis.
Snowboard bindings which incorporate a central disk for securing the binding to the snowboard would also benefit from a convenient and fast means to rake small adjustments to the position of the disk center with respect to the longitudinal center line of the snowboard. The most important direction in which to allow such adjustment is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the snowboard (i.e., from side to side). Such an adjustment allows the rider's boot to be centered laterally on the snowboard and thereby eliminates toe and heel drag: conditions which occur when either the toe of the boot or the heel of the boot extends beyond the turning edge of the snowboard. When several different boot sizes are to be accommodated by a single binding, the lateral adjustment of the binding is critical. Virtually all disks sold today utilize either a three hole or four hole pattern of elongated slots which allow this type of adjustment. The biggest problem with the disks is that all of the disk mounting screws must be at least loosened, if not completely removed, in order to facilitate the lateral adjustment. This is time consuming, especially for rental shops.
As may be appreciated, further improvement of snowboard binding systems, allowing greater and simplified adjustability or flexibility for users, could thus yet be utilized.